Put the yeast into a small bowl with 1 tsp of the caster sugar and a couple of tablespoons of the water. Stir, then leave somewhere warm to froth for 15 minutes or so.

Put the flour into a bowl with the salt and remaining caster sugar and make a well in the middle. Pour the yeast mixture into this and start to mix it into the surrounding flour (I usually begin mixing bread with a blunt-bladed knife but you can use your hands right from the start). Gradually add the rest of the water, or as much as you need to make a dough. When it has come together knead it for 10 minutes. Put into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave somewhere warm to rise for a couple of hours. It should double in size.

Now you need to 'knock back' the dough by kneading the air out of it a little on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round measuring roughly 23cm (9in) across. Put on a lightly oiled baking-sheet and leave to prove for 30 minutes.

Put the raisins and marsala in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then take the pan off the heat and leave the raisins to plump up. They should absorb all the liquid. Press the whole grapes into the dough and scatter with the rosemary or thyme (use a mixture of leaves and stems with leaves still attached). Sprinkle with the brown sugar and drizzle on the oil. Put in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and bake for 45 minutes or until the bread is cooked (if you lever it off the baking sheet and tap it underneath it should sound slightly hollow). Ten minutes before the end of cooking time, spoon the raisins over the top of the bread too. Leave to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature with the cheese.